Method and apparatus for the in-line production and conversion of composite strand material into a composite product
First Claim
1. An in-line apparatus for making a composite strand material and forming at least a portion of said composite strand material into a composite product comprising:
- a bushing for supplying streams of molten glass to be drawn into continuous first fibers;
a drawing device adapted to draw said streams into said first fibers;
equipment for supplying a polymeric material to said first fibers;
a combining station where said first fibers with said polymeric material are combined to form composite strand material, andat least one mold disposed in-line with said bushing and said combining station for receiving a portion of said composite strand material and forming said portion into a composite product.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for the in-line production of composite strand material and the conversion of at least a portion of the strand material into a composite product. The apparatus (10) includes a combining station (48) where glass fibers (14) with a second polymeric material (66) are combined to form composite strand material (16), and at least one mold (54) for receiving a portion of the composite strand material and forming the portion into a composite product. The apparatus also includes transfer equipment for moving the composite strand material from the combining station to the mold, which may include a computer-controlled robotic arm (52). In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a collecting device (18) for accumulating the composite strand material (16) in looped form and equipment for delivering the accumulated portion from the collecting device to the mold (54). In a further embodiment, the apparatus includes a chopping device (72) for chopping portions of the composite strand material prior to placement into the mold (54).
17 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An in-line apparatus for making a composite strand material and forming at least a portion of said composite strand material into a composite product comprising:
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a bushing for supplying streams of molten glass to be drawn into continuous first fibers; a drawing device adapted to draw said streams into said first fibers; equipment for supplying a polymeric material to said first fibers; a combining station where said first fibers with said polymeric material are combined to form composite strand material, and at least one mold disposed in-line with said bushing and said combining station for receiving a portion of said composite strand material and forming said portion into a composite product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An in-line apparatus for the in-line production of composite strand material and the conversion of portions of said composite strand material into composite products comprising:
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a heated bushing for supplying streams of molten glass to be drawn into continuous first fibers; a drawing device adapted to draw said streams into said first fibers; equipment for supplying a polymeric material to said first fibers; a combining station where said first fibers with said polymeric material are combined to form composite strand material; and a plurality of molds disposed in-line with said bushing and said combining station for receiving portions of said composite strand material and forming each of said portions into a composite product. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for the in-line production of composite strand material and the conversion of at least a portion of said composite strand material into a composite product comprising the steps of:
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a) drawing a plurality of first fibers from a source of molten glass; b) supplying a polymeric material to said first fibers; c) combining said first fibers with said polymeric material at a combining station to form a composite strand material; d) placing a portion of said composite strand material into a molding device which is disposed in-line with said source of molten glass; and e) molding said portion into a composite product. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification